Combination tubing head and blowout preventer



'April1l,1939. MMPEMCK'HAL 2,154,408

COMBINATION TUBING HEAD AND BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Original Filed June 4,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 as 27 2o 4 7 April 11, 1939. A. J. PENICK El AL2,154,408 COMBINATION TUBING HEAD AND BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Original FiledJune 4, 1935 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Human/l4 Patented Apr. 11, 1939COMBINATION TUBING HEAD AND BLOW- OUT PREVEN'IER Arthur J. Penick andKirby 'l. Penick, Houston,

Application June 4, 1935, Serial No. zaaaa Renewed June 1, 1937 7 Claim.

This invention relates to a combination tubing head and blowoutpreventer.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel type of blowoutpreventer adapted for use in lowering a tubing, or pipe, into a well,and which will form a fluid-tight seal with the casing head and tubingbeing lowered so as to prevent the escape of gas or other fluid underpressure between the casing and tubing.

Another object ofvthe invention is to provide the combination with thecasing head, of a pressure head of novel construction therein with.means for securing the pressure head in place, said pressure head beingof such construction as to permit the ready passage of the couplingsconnecting the tubing sections therethrough and to maintain afluid-tight seal about the couplings,

' invention has particular relation to certain novel features ofconstruction, operation, and arrangement of parts, examples of which areglven,in this specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a side elevation,-part1y in section ofone formof the complete apparatus.

Figure 2 shows a side view, partly in section,

of the blowout preventer showing a modified form a of pressure head, and

Figure 3 shows a 'side view, partly in section, of the completecombination showingstill another iorm of pressure head.

In the drawings the numeral l designates the well casing on the upperend of which the casing head 2 is secured, said casing head having oneor more outlet pipes 3 leading outwardly therefrom and having the insidedownwardly converging seat 4 above said outlet pipes. At its upper endthe casing head has the outwardly extended flange 5 whose upper face hasthe I annular groove 6 to receive the seal ring 1. There is a pressurehead 8 composed chiefly of rubber, or similar resilient material whoseouter side tapers downwardly to fit into the seat 4. This pressure headmay be continuous, and may be molded into the hollow metal cage 9 at theupper end thereof. This pressure head is disclosed and claimed in ourco-pendlng application Serial No. 74,923, filed April 17, 1936i In theform shown in Figure 1 the pressure head has a surrounding externalgroove H) which gives the body of the pressure head more pliabllity tofacilitate the passage of the couplings H of the tubing l2 therethrough.The lower end of the pressure head I has a surrounding groove I3 formingthe external and internal lips 14 and I5, and moulded onto the lip Ithere is a surrounding annular metal ring It which has the externaloutwardly flared groove I! to receive the inner ends of the bolts I.which are threaded through the head 2, thus forming means for anchoringthe pressure head in place.

In the form shown in Figure 2, there is a pressure head la which isshaped to fit into the seat 4 and is moulded into the cage 9 and whichhas the lower end, annular groove I3, as in the form shown in Figure 1,but the pressure head 8a does not have the annular groove ill, or theanchor ring I.

In the form shown in Figure 3, the pressure head lb may be formed ofsections which may be fitted together and seated in the seat 4 tocompletely surround the tubing l2. In this form the sections of thepressure head are moulded to corresponding sections of the hollow cage9a. In other respects the type of pressure head shown in Figure 3 is thesame as that shown in Figure 2.

It is to be noted that either form of pressure head may be employed,oneJn substitution for the other, in the casing head.

In each form of the apparatus a retainer ring I9 is employed which hasthe downwardly converging inside seat 20 and which also has the externalannular flange 2|. Clamp bolts 22 are threaded through the flange 2| andextend above and beneath said flange 2|. The under face of the flange 2|has an annular groove 23 to receive the upper end of the seal ring I.The lower ends of the-bolts 22 extend through smooth bores 24 of theflange i and receive the retaining nuts 25 which are screwed thereon.The lower face of the retainer ring I! may thus be clamped securelyagainst the upper end of the pressure head of either form so as tomaintain the pressure head I trated in Figure 2 and if gas pressure ispresent in the well, the pressure fluid will enter the groove I3 andwill hold the lip l5 closely against the tubing. It is to be understoodthat the outlet pipe leading from the casing head will be equipped withthe usual control valve whereby the outflow of the fluid under pressurefrom the well may be controlled, or prevented.

The pressure head is so constructed that it will be sufiiciently pliableto permit the passage of the tubing couplings ll without injury to thepressure head and will maintain a close seal about either the couplingsor the tubing, between the couplings.

There is a slip ring composed of the arcuate sections 26, 26, shaped tobe fitted around the tubing and whose outer sides taper downwardly andconform to the shape of and are adapted to seat on the seat 20 withtheir lower ends extended to fit within the pressure head as moreaccurately shown in Figures 1 and 3. When the tubing is lowered to thedesired location, the slip ring 26 is inserted into place and theannular packing rings 21, 21, are fitted between the retainer ring l9and the tubing and supported on the upward end of the slip ring 26.These packing rings 21 are preferably formed of arcuate sections or maybe split on one side and are arranged so that the joints will be brokenas indicated in Figures 1 and 3. The slip ring 26 forms a firmreinforcement for the inner lip l5.

There is a slip bowl formed of the sections 28, 28, which have thecoinciding, marginal flanges 29, 29, clamped together by the clamp bolts30, 30. This slip bowl has the annular outwardly extended flange 31provided with bores 32 to receive the upper ends of the bolts 22 and theslip bowl is retained in place by means of the nuts 33 screwed onto thesaid bolts. The underside of the slip bowl has an annular groove 34 andthe clamp ring l9 has an upstanding annular flange 35 which is receivedby the groove 34 when the slip bowl 28 is in place. The lower end of theslip bowl rests on the packing 21, and said packing may be compressedfrom time to time as required by tightening up 'on the nuts 33. -Theslip bowl has the inside, downwardly converging seat 36 to receive theconventional wedge-shaped slips 3! for supporting the tubing at thedesired location.

The upper side of the flange 2| has an annular groove 38 therearound.When the apparatus is being used as a blowout preventer only and isassembled as shown in Figure 2 in case the pressure in the well isunusually strong and there is unusual danger of a blowout, an additionalblowout preventer of the general type such as is shown in our co-pendingapplication, Ser. No. 716,344 filed on the 19th day of March, 1934, maybe mounted on the clamp ring 19 and a seal ring mounted in the groove 38to form a tight seal therewith, and said additional blowout preventermay be bolted down by means of the bolts 22 and nuts 33, and thus anadditional protection against the threatened blowout may be provided.

The drawings and description disclose what are now considered to bepreferred forms of the invention by way of illustration only while thebroad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A blowout preventer comprising a casing head adapted to be secured tothe top of a casing in a well and having an inside seat through which aninner tubing may pass and an annular external flange at its upper end, apressure head shaped to fit said seat and havingan annular groove aroundits lower end forming an inside annular lip adapted to fit closelyaround the tubing and an outside annular lip adapted to flt said seat,said pressure head being formed of resilient material, a cage of rigidmaterial moulded into the material of the pressure head at the upper endthereof, a retainer ring on the casing head and whose lower end isshaped to seat on the upper end of the pressure head to maintain thepressure head in place a flange on the ring overlying the casing headflange and bolts securing the flanges together.

2. A blowout preventer comprising a casing head adapted to be secured tothe, top of a casing in a well and having an inside seat through whichan inner tube may pass, a pressure head shaped to fit on said seat andhaving an annular groove around its lower end forming an inside annularlip adapted to fit closely around the tubing and an outside annular lipadapted to fit said seat, said pressure head being formed of resilientmaterial, a cage of rigid material moulded into the material of thepressure head at the upper end thereof, a retainer ring detachablysecured to the casing head and whose lower end is shaped to seat on theupper end of the pressure head to maintain the pressure head in place, ametal ring attached to the outer lip of the pressure head and having anexternal groove and a bolt threaded through the casing head whose innerend projects into said groove. I

3. In combination, a tubular casing head adapted to be secured to acasing in a well, and having a downwardly converging seat at the upperend of said head, a pressure head formed of yieldable material shaped tofit said seat and to surround an inner pipe through the casing head,said pressure head having an annular groove around its lower end formingan internal annular lip shaped to fit around the inner pipe and anexternal annular lip shaped to fit said seat, a retainer ring secured tothe casing head and whose lower end is adapted to fit against the upperend of the pressure head, said retainer ring having an inside seat, aslip ring adapted to fit between the inner pipe and the pressure headand whose outer side is shaped to fit the seat in the retainer ring,packing around the inner pipe on the slip ring, a slip bowl resting onthe packing and secured to the casing head and having a downwardlyconverging seat and pipe engaging slipsin the last-mentioned seatadapted to engage and support the inner pipe.

4. In combination, a tubular casing head adapted to be connected to thetop of a casing in a well and having an inside seat, a pressure headadapted to fit said seat and shaped to surround an inner pipe throughthe casing head, a retainer ring secured on the top of the casing headand whose lower end is adapted to rest against the upper end of thepressure head, a slip ring fltting through the retainer ring andsurrounding the inner pipe, packing within the retainer ring surroundingthe inner pipe and resting on said slip ring, a slip bowl secured tothe'casing head and resting on said packing and having an insidedownwardly converging seat and pipe supporting slips in the seat of saidbowl and in engagement with, and supporting, the inner pipe.

5. In combination, a tubular casing head adapted to be secured to thetop of a casing in a well and having an inside seat, a pressure headformed of resilient material shaped to fit slid seat and to closelysurround an inner pipe through the casing head, a retainer ring on thecasing head clamping against the pressure head 'and having an insideseat, a slip ring surrounding the inner pipe and fitted between saidinner ripe and the pressure head and resting on the seat of saidretainer ring, packing around the inner pipe on said slip ring, a slipbowl on said packing and secured to the casing head and hav-' ing adownwardly converging seat, pipe supporting slips adapted to fit intothe seat of said bowl and to engage and support the inner pipe, saidslip bowl and retainer ring being provided, one with an annular groove,and the other with a flange which surrounds'said packing and fits intosaid groove.

6. In combination a tubular casing adapted to be connected to the top ofa casing in a well and having an inside seat, a pressure head adapted tofit said seat and shaped to surround an inner pipe through the casinghead, a retainer ring secured on the casing head and whose lower end isadapted to rest against the upper end of the pressure head, the upperend 0! the casing head having an annular groove, a seal ring in thegroove i'orming close fitting joints with the casing head and theretainer ring, a slip ring fitted through the retainer ring andsurrounding the inner pipe, packing within the retainer ring surroundingthe inner pipe and resting on the slip ring, a slip bowl secured to thecasing head and resting on said packing and having an inside downwardlyconverging seat and pipe supporting slips in the seat of the bowl and inengagement with, and adapted to support, the inner pipe.

7. In combination a tubular head adapted to be connected to the top ofan outer pipe in a well and having an inside seat, a pressure headshaped to iit saidseat and to surround an inner pipe through the head,an annular retainer on the head whose lower end is arranged to abut thepressure head, a packing assembly within the retainer including packingsupporting means and packing thereon which surrounds the inner pipe,pipe engaging and supporting means on the retainer and resting againstthe packing and adapted to engage with and support the inner pipe.

ARTHUR J. PENICK.

